Toy cannon.



T. R. ARDEN.

TOY CANNON.

11/1/72. 24 A? as 2? I]! I" N1 NM; and,

3 mnwtoz D STATES I PATENT OFFICE.-

momsaamoun Arman, or NEW YORK N. Y., assienon To 1*. 12. mm; 00., me,

. or NEW roux, N. Y., a'oonrona'riou or NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

'roY cannon.

. Patented July 2, 1918.

Application filed Kay'28,1917. Ser1al1llo.170,884.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS- RAYMOND ARDEN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy Cannons, of which the following is a 1 specification.

- of the parts becoming broken or the device as a whole being disorganized when used by a child.

The invention consists of the construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, .whereinigure 1 is a top plan view of my improved toy cannon;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1; and I Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3 -3 of Fig. 2.

The cannon shown in the drawing is mounted upon a carriage comprising the wheels 10 and the lateral arms 11 which constitute the frame.

Supported by the frame 11 is the barrel 12 which is preferably provided near its muzzle with an opening 13 to receive the objects to be shot from the cannon. In the form of invention shown in the drawing balls 14 are em loyed, and adjacent the opening 13 the arrel is provided with a socket 15 into which a chute 16 may be re movably inserted, the chute 16 being supported in an inclined position so that the balls 14, which are placed in the chute, may roll into the barrel12 through the opening 13 by gravity.

Mounted in the rear portion or breech of the barrel is a rod 17 projecting through a suitable longitudinal bore in such breech, the rear part. of the rod 17 being formed as a crank 18 to receive the operating handle 19. The forward end of the rod 17 is formed as an open spiral 20, and encircling an intermediate portion of the rod 17 plunger 23, said plunfir being which is within the barrel 12 is a coiled spring 21. This coiled spring is confined between a collar 22 intermediate the ends of the rod 17 and the forward twisted portion 20 of said rod 17.

Reciprocable within the barrel 12 is a rovided with a cross pin 24. ngaging t e cross spirally pin 24' is a hooked arm 25 of a link 26,

said link having a second hookedarm 27 which reaches into engagement with the forward or spirally twisted portion 20 of the rod 17 The barrel 12 is provided with suitable slots 28 and 29 to allow for the to and fro'movement of the link 26.

I may provide on the rod 17 adjacent the forward face of the breech a sleeve like ratchet 30 cooperable with a bar 31 held in a hub 32 surrounding a portion of shaft 33 on which the wheels 10 are mounted. This ratchet 30 serves the double function of .a

ratchet and a noise maker when the crank 18 is turned; v The operation of the device is as fol- 1ows:'-A suitable number of balls 14 are placed in the chute 16. Thereafter the crank 18 is turned by means of the handle. As a consequence of turning the crank the spiral 20 will retract the link 26 and its attached plunger 23 in the barrel 12 until the hooked end 27 of the link 26 escapes from below the free end of the spiral portion 20. During the retraction of the link 26 the spring 21 is compressed by the rearward movement of the hooked arm 27. When the hooked end 27 escapes from engagement with the spiral 20 the spring 21 is released and extends sharply whereby the plunger 23 snaps forward inthe barrel 12 and expels a ball 14 in its path with considerable velocity. During rotation of the crank 18 the teeth of the ratchet 30 glide over the upper end of the bar 37 making a grating noise, at the same time preventing back throw of crank 18.

It is to be noted that the ratchet 30 may be omitted if desired and the bar 31 may also be omitted, in which event the collar 22 would be moved farther back on the rod 17, preferably immediately adjacent the front face of the breech.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a toy cannon, the combination of a barrel, a plunger reciprocable therein, ro-

tary spiral means for retracting said plun-, ger in the barrel, and extensible means forv protractingthe plunger in the barrel.

- 2. In a toy cannon, the combination of .a barrel, 'a plunger reciprooable therein, rotary spiralmeans for retracting said plunger in the barrel, a connection between said plunger andsaid rotary means, and exten-' sible means for protracting the plunger in the barrel.

' 3. In a toycannon, the combination of a barrel, .a plunger reciprocable therein, a rod having a spiral portion mounted for rotation in 'said'barrel, a connection. betw nv said plunger and said rod whereby when the latter is rotated the plunger is retracted in the' barrel, and means forf'protraoting the plunger inthe barrel. f

the barreL' v last named hooked end of the link. a I

6; In atoy cannon, the combination ofa I 5. In a toy cannomlthecombinationvof a lognrel, a; plunger reciprocable therein, a rod rotatably mounted in said barrelfand. havmg oneendformed as a' spiral, a linkhaving its opposite. ends hooked, one, ofisaid I ends engaging the plunger and the other reachmg' lnto. engagement with" the spiral part of the rod, and'a coiled spring surthe roundingsaid'rod and in the-path of barrel, a plunger reciprocable therein, a rod mounted for rotatlon in said barrel, a con- .nection between said plunger and said rod whereby'whenthe latter is rotated the .plunger 1s retracted in the'barrel,'means'-for prot'racting the. plunger in'the barrel, a ratchet on said rod, and a pawl extending gagement with saidratchet.

Intestimony whereof 'I hai eafiixed my slgnature inpresence of two witnesses.

THOMAS RAYMOND ARDEN. Witnesses: I O'r'ro MUNK,

- CLARIOE-FRANGK;

into en 

